


machinations

by spookykingdomstarlight



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Original Trilogy
Genre: Comfort, Established Relationship, M/M, Minor Injuries, Trick or Treat: Chocolate Box, Trick or Treat: Treat
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-31
Updated: 2017-10-31
Packaged: 2019-01-23 09:15:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,331
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12504032
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/spookykingdomstarlight/pseuds/spookykingdomstarlight
Summary: Even odds were that Lando would just piss Luke off even more, but he hoped it would make Luke stop and think. Or even better—laugh and concede Lando’s point with a graciousness that was beyond both of them. “Are you telling me you think I’m a superweapon?”Lando pulled him down to eye level. “I’m telling you even the most arrogant abuses of resources the galaxy has ever known could be shot out of the sky.”





	machinations

**Author's Note:**

  * For [This](https://archiveofourown.org/users/This/gifts).



“You didn’t have to do that,” Luke said, not quite on the verge of tutting Lando just yet, but pretty damned close to it if the frown on his face was anything to go by. Not that Lando was going to say anything about it, because time and place, but it was pretty cute as far as such things went. “In fact, you shouldn’t have.”

“I know this is the part where I say I’m sorry and I’ll never do it again,” Lando answered. Hissing at the sting of antiseptic against the cut bleeding away near his hairline, he glared up at Luke, who was neither cowed nor impressed with Lando’s candor. He remembered a time when Luke was left wide-eyed in his presence, something akin to wonder on his face as Lando regaled him with this, that, or the other story he had to tell. Now, he merely sighed and rolled his eyes.

The romance. The mystery. All of it was gone. So strange. In the past, Lando had always done his damnedest to cultivate a charmed, enigmatic air, even in relationships. Especially in relationships.

Somewhere along the way—Lando blamed the Rebellion and maybe his brush with the Empire for starting this whole thing—Luke stripped him of every approach he’d honed over the years, leaving them behind as proof of how pointless they truly were. Luke didn’t require that Lando be charming and suave for him; all he wanted was whatever Lando saw fit to give.

And though Lando couldn’t be any more pleased with that fact than he already was, he was also more than willing to say things that displeased Luke, but only when it was the truth. Which this was. “But I’m not sorry—” He ducked his head again, cool liquid dripping down his temple. “ _Ouch_. And I’ll do it again if I have to.” He didn’t say when, though the chances were good that Luke would find himself in another tight spot and Lando would be right there beside him, helping in whatever way he could, even at the risk of his own life. Deadpan, he said, “Ouch,” again when Luke swiped up the mess he was making of Lando’s face and dabbed at the wound itself for good measure.

“Stop it,” Luke said, both warm and a little heated, the same description for two very different emotions.

“Just slap a bacta patch on it and call it good,” Lando insisted. He tried to swat Luke’s hands away, but he just seemed to have more of them than anyone else did. Or maybe it was just those Jedi reflexes deflecting Lando’s attempts to get Luke to quit. “Or better yet, leave it alone. A scar would give me a rakish air. Do you know how useful that sort of thing is?”

“I’m not sure Baron Administrators govern more effectively with rakish scars.” Luke squinted at his handiwork, only half paying attention to the utter nonsense Lando was spewing at him. “But then again, I’m just a farm boy from a desert backwater. I couldn’t possibly know a thing about rakes or scoundrels.”

“It’s because you hang out with Han,” Lando answered. “He gives you false expectations all the time. You think you know rakes and scoundrels, then you meet one for real and let’s just say—ow. Seriously. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you’re mad at me.”

“I _am_ mad at you,” Luke said, remarkably even for a man who was supposedly angry. Lando might’ve been in a relationship with one, but Jedi remained as inscrutable to him as they ever were. “You risked your life for me when it wasn’t necessary.”

Lando’s fingers wrapped tight around Luke’s wrist. The glove he always wore now stopped Lando from feeling the whirr of servos beneath the layer of synthskin that covered his artificial hand. “Let’s get one thing straight here,” he said. “Taking chances for you will always necessary. That’s just how life is. The fact that there’s sometimes genuine danger involved doesn’t change that. Hell, it’s not even that unusual for me. I’m not gonna stop just because you think you can handle it.”

Through lowered lashes, hair falling into his eyes, Luke offered him an incredulous look. “I’ve got the Force, Lando. I’m not made of glass.”

“I’ve got luck.” Lando sucked thoughtfully on his teeth for a moment, debating with himself before going all in. “And even a Death Star can explode.”

Even odds were that Lando would just piss Luke off even more, but he hoped it would make Luke stop and think. Or even better—laugh and concede Lando’s point with a graciousness that was beyond both of them. “Are you telling me you think I’m a superweapon?”

Lando pulled him down to eye level. “I’m telling you even the most arrogant abuses of resources the galaxy has ever known could be shot out of the sky.”

“Ah.” Luke nodded sagely, relaxing into a self-deprecating version of what Lando called Luke’s ‘Jedi wisdom’ look. It was the same technique he adopted when he needed other people to believe he knew what he was talking about. Most of the time, it was true. Occasionally, it actually was a bluff. “So what the Death Stars needed were a Lando Calrissian to look out for them?”

Barking a laugh, Lando slid his hand up Luke’s arm to cup his neck. Briefly, he pulled Luke into a kiss. That Luke came willingly, pliably in his arms, spoke to the generosity with which he treated Lando. He may have been mad, but he never turned Lando away in those moments even so. “Maybe they did, but I’ll choose to be glad they didn’t.”

When Luke’s eyes slipped back up to take in the truly unremarkable injury he’d sustained, Lando took hold of his chin and pulled his head down further. “It happens, okay? It’ll keep happening as long as we’re fighting this war. I want to look out for you. If a few rocks fall on me, so be it.”

Groaning, Luke shook his head. His body tensed, frustration becoming evident. And as much as Lando hated to be the one causing it, he had to remain firm in his resolve. “I can take care of myself, Lando.”

“I know.” He pressed another kiss to Luke’s mouth, couldn’t help it. “But that’s still not gonna stop me.”

Luke sighed. “Nothing ever does.”

“Not even Jedi with all their mystical powers.” Lando frowned, mock dejected. “It really is quite a shame.”

The air between them cooled as Luke extricated himself, returning to a standing position to poke and prod more at the evidence of Lando’s folly. “Okay,” he said, sincere. “If I can’t convince you to stop, there’s something you’re going to have to accept, too.”

“Oh, yeah?” Lando’s head tipped back. “What’s that?”

“When you’re injured—” His eyes widened with an unspoken, _and it will happen and I hate that, I hate it_ , “—I’m going to fuss over you. Deal?”

Lando bit his lip. Having his own stubbornness turned back on him… he shouldn’t have been surprised. And yet, the thought of it left him cold, a little troubled. He didn’t need Luke to fuss and worry. That wasn’t what this was about. Resolution sat heavy in Luke’s gaze, implacable. Stone was more likely to grow hot and come to life than Luke capitulating to any negation Lando might have made.

It was only fair anyway.

“Okay,” Lando said, knowing there was no way around it unless he was willing to give up the ground he knew he deserved and so submitted himself to Luke’s continued ministrations. As much as he didn’t like being treated like he was fragile, if Luke wanted to do it, Luke could do it. “That’s fair.”

Even if he would rather it be left alone, he was happy as long as Luke was happy. And if that made him happy—happier anyway—Lando would deal with it.


End file.
